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PHO MALPICA: THE LAST WHITE ELEPHANT

Phó Malpica: The Last White Elephant
http://phomalpica.blogspot.com
Site-specific and Multi-media Performance Installation
July 23rd – August 2nd, 2009
Start time 9:00 and 10:30 PM


The last White Elephant is a consideration of the effects of both physical evolution and the evolution of consciousness on a species. It is the portrait of a creature suspended at a point in its evolutionary cycle.

Within less than a century the number of elephants born without tusks has increased significantly. One theory suggests that elephants feel threatened by ivory poachers, and as a result are accelerating the evolutionary process in order to defend their species. Though the theory has been accepted as true by many, poaching as a cause for evolution may be entirely fictional. However, if we were to work under the notion that poaching is the culprit, does it suggest that elephants are self-aware and have they evolved out of a conscious need for change?

Similarly in the past century, technology has been a source of transformation affecting our own abilities to adapt. It has dulled our senses, inhibited our natural instincts, and limited our recognition of the need to stimulate biological change. The human body has grown weaker and has succumbed to the will of both natural and manmade forces. Some of the devices we've created to ease our physical inabilities have proliferated recessive behavior. In turn we've permanently altered our intrinsic nature. That leaves us the questioning whether or not humans as a species have evolved.

Phó Malpica is part human and part elephant. The human portion of this character is a representation of biological preservation. The elephant in the creature exemplifies the will to survive. This project intends to shed light on the human/animal connection. It invites thought on concepts of transmutation and acknowledges theories of evolution and the evolution of consciousness through the anthropomorphic creature Phó.



Presented by COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE: Angela Christina Lopez, Jordan Lema, Geoffrey Peters, Frances Egan, Zach Kushner


Proposal and Artist’s Statement: Angela Christina Lopez
Performers: Angela Christina Lopez, Jordan Lema (select performances)
Technical Director: Jordan Lema
Video Production: Angela Christina Lopez
Lighting Design: Angela Christina Lopez
Audio Design: Angela Christina Lopez
Supplementary Audio: Geoffrey Peters
Track Mastering: Geoffrey Peters
Live Musicians (select performances): Frances Egan (violin), Zach Kushner (accordion, trumpet)
Costume Design: Angela Christina Lopez
Choreography: Angela Christina Lopez

Special Thanks:
Broco 1 Realtors
Greg
Rust Belt Books
Buffalo Police Department
La Tee Da
Leslie of Euphraxia
Curt Rotterdam
mammy and batman
MJ103


For further information please contact: angelachristinalopez@yahoo.com

Image

First Performance of a Collective Collective

Performers included:
Bonnie Taylor
Molly Taylor
Angela Lopez

Live Sound by:
Geoffrey Peters
of
shapes of states

The performance consisted of a found object installation in one of several Concorde rooms in the Central Terminal. It included improvised movement elements provided by three dancers. Costuming represented the element of time with dress designs spanning "the ages" while movement simply reflected the body in varying states of motion. The soundscape paced and carved out time for the environment and characters within it. The title of the exhibit in fact was "Bodies in Motion."

We were given this opportunity to perform by Sam Stone. She invited the group to participate in the event about a month or so in advance. Unfortunately with the rescheduling she was unable to stay in Buffalo and ended up not being able to perform. But she is a huge part of its inception.

The date was re-scheduled to October 11, 2008.